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Baseball Author/Writer/Historian Scott Pitoniak

Q and A with Baseball Author/Writer/Historian Scott Pitoniak

ML: CC Sabathia and Ichiro lead the way into Cooperstown this year. Break down this class and those two specifically, how you remember their careers.

SP: Ichiro Suzuki definitely is the class of this class. We can talk about him being professional baseball’s all-time hit king (3,089 in the States; 1,278 in Japan). We can marvel at the 10 Gold Gloves, the two batting titles, the 509 stolen bases, and an arm reminiscent of Roberto Clemente’s. But those numbers and accolades tell only part of the story. Suzuki ranks as one of baseball’s most significant historical figures because he took a Louisville Slugger to stereotypes that Asian players couldn’t excel in America, thereby opening the door for a boatload of superb performers to cross the Pacific. Think about it: Without his dominance, we might never have been treated to the everyday greatness of Shohei Ohtani. When I think about Carsten Charles Sabathia, the words “workhorse,” “gamer” and “clutch” come to mind. Third most strikeouts by a lefthander. Two-hundred-fifty-one wins. The ace of the Yankees last World Series title team. Dick Allen and Dave Parker were two of baseball’s most feared sluggers. The strong-as-an-ox Allen swung the heaviest bat in baseball – a 40-ouncer. And Parker made some throws from right field that caused your jaw to drop. Billy Wagner was a long-time, lights-out closer who just blew batters away. It’s a solid class.

ML: Your first induction that you covered. Take us back.

SP: It was a blazing-hot, early August day in 1978, just 15 months after I graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School, and I was covering the festivities for the Utica Daily Press. Those were much simpler times, and the access to the Hall-of-Famers was unbelievable. Back then, the media was allowed to roam the lobby of the Otesaga Hotel, where all these baseball luminaries were milling about. We were like kids in the proverbial candy store, filling up notebooks and tape recorders with marvelous anecdotes. Mel Allen, who, along with Red Barber was receiving the first Ford Frick broadcasting award that year, invited me up to his room to chat about his career. How about that? Slugging third baseman Eddie Mathews headlined an induction class of three. (Longtime Yankees and Orioles executive Larry MacPhail and late pitcher Addie Joss were the other enshrinees.) Besides clubbing 512 home runs, Mathews is the answer to a great trivia question: Who is the only man to play for the Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves? Covering Hall-of-Fame weekend was exhausting, but magical. Nearly a half-century later, it remains my favorite weekend on the baseball calendar.

ML: You have done Cooperstown so many times at this point. What’s the one thing that you have to do every trip despite how many times you have been?

SP: Visit the Hall, even though it’s usually jam-packed and I’ve been there more than 200 times in my life. I enjoy seeing the looks on the faces of all the people from around the country and the world touring the museum for the first time. I’ll pay my respects to Mickey Mantle’s plaque in the Hall and also check out the new exhibits.

ML: You wrote a piece recently on bobbleheads. Why are bobbleheads so important to our sports culture and the HOF has a new exhibit as well, right?

SP: Bobbleheads are a relatively new phenomenon – something that really didn’t take off until the start of this century. And I give a lot of credit to the creative minds that run minor-league teams. They’re constantly on the lookout for ways to lure fans to the ballpark, and bobbleheads have become extremely popular giveaways. For me, bobbleheads are kind of like baseball cards. They bring smiles to our faces. They evoke memories of a favorite player or team or mascot. I’ve lived in Rochester for years, where the Triple-A Red Wings have done bobbleheads honoring Conehead the beer vendor, a ballpark fan greeter known as Uncle Phil, long-time organist Fred Costello and two of their bat dogs. The bat dogs – Milo and Bruce – were actually immortalized with “bobble-tail” dolls. Their tails rather than their heads bob. Brilliant! I give the folks that run the Baseball Hall-of-Fame a lot of credit, because they are always unveiling new exhibits that capture the impact of the game on our culture. The bobblehead exhibit is just another wonderful example of this.

ML: Thanks Scott, cya on Main Street in Coop.

SP: Can’t wait, my friend. First slice of pizza is on me. And don’t forget the sunscreen. 😉